Fastening for hoop-irons with which bales containing wool or other soft produce are secured.



No. s9|,9|5. I Patented Jan. 28, I902. a. n. noszmsou.

FASTENING FOR HOOP IRONS WITH WHICH BALES CONTAINING WOOL OR OTHER SOFTPRODUCE ARE SECURED.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1900.)

(NoModelJ E g *a J 5 g I F v S B r q S -s B I I7zz/67ZZ071' wmrx 4 g aTn: Noam: PETERS w, PHONE-U180 WASHINGYON, o. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' GEORGE R. ROBERTSON, OF SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES.

FASTENING FOR HOOP-IRONS WITH WHICH BALES CONTAINING WOOL OR OTHER SOFTPRODUCE ARE SECURED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,915, dated January28, 1902.

Application filed MarohS, 1900. Serial No. 7,898. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE RENWIcK Ros- ERTSON, engineer, a subject ofthe Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Sydney, in thecounty of Cumberland and Colony of New South Wales, have invented acertain new and useful Improved Fastening for Hoop-Irons with WhichBales Containing Wool or other Soft Produce are Secured, of which thefollowing is a specification.

It has been usual to fasten the ends of the hoop-irons with which wooland other baled produce is secured by means of studs which are looselyfitted to one end of the hoop-iron, such studs securing the hoop-iron onthe bale by causing them to enter an aperture or perforation in theopposite end of the hoop'iron. When the bale is relieved from pressure,its contents will expand, and the tensile pressure on the hoop-iron willcause its ends to remain securely fastened together. The appliances atpresent in use leave much to be desired. They are expensive inthemselves, they are a further source of expense when brought into use,and there is always the chance thatthey may be ineffective to attain thedesired end.

My invention has been devised with a view to obviate the disabilities ofthe presentappliances; and it consists in cutting and punching thecenter of one end of the hoop-iron, so that a tongue shall project fromthe hoop-iron in such a way that it shall be free to enter acorresponding hole or aperture punched in the opposite end of thehoop-iron.

In order that the invention shall be properly understood, reference willbe made to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure l is aplan of the two ends of the hoop-iron. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the twoends brought together ready to be secured, and Fig. 3 is a sectionaledge View of the same secured together. The dimensions of the last twoviews have been exaggerated in order to make them more clear.

The part a of the hoop-iron is punched in such a way as to form tongues17. The opposite end 0 of the hoop-iron is punched so as to make alongitudinal aperture 01, the ends of the aperture being semicircular,both curves being in the same direction. By this means the convex curveat the base of the aperture Will present a larger holding-surface to thetongue when they are connected together, as they will be when theaperture is placed over the tongue, as shown in Fig. 2, and lowered ontoit, as shown in Fig. 3, the release of the bale from the dumpingpressure causing the two parts thus brought together to bite and hold.The convex end to theslot gives a better hold to the hook than astraight end to the slot would, because there is really more surface forthe hook .to hold on to, and the substance afforded by the convex endprevents the two parts from being readily disengaged-a very importantdesideratum in appliances of this nature.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is;-

The herein-described bale-fastening comprising a metal hoop or straphaving openings at one end provided with concave and convex ends, andinwardly-extending tongues upon the opposite end adapted to engage saidopenings.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE R. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

J AS. T. HUNTER, R. W. EWERS.

